Boko Haram: 160, 000 Nigerians take refuge in Niger, Chad, Cameroon

 

e United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has disclosed that about 160,000 Nigerians have fled the north eastern parts of the country seeking refuge in neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

This was contained in a statement signed by Kori Habib, UNFPA Media Associate in Nigeria as part of activities to mark the 2015 World Population Day scheduled for July 11.

The statement indicated that Nigeria would join the rest of the world to commemorate the World Population Day with the theme: “Vulnerable population in emergencies”.

According to the statement, the theme of the 2015 world population day is of crucial relevance and timely to Nigeria.

“Nigeria has about 1.5 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) largely due to communal conflicts and insurgencies in the north eastern part.

“The majority of the IDPs are women, children and elderly and 52 per cent of the IDPs are estimated to be children under the age of 18 years,” the statement said.

The statement lamented the vulnerable population in emergencies were exposed to series of protection risks and threats that included forced labour, physical abuse, torture abductions and forceful conscription.

“The insurgents also subject them to forced conscription, sexual and gender based violence as well as poor living condition and debilitating poverty,” Habib said in the statement.

It said that UNFPA, partners and stakeholders would use the occasion to sensitise the populace on the plight of the IDPs, also elicit commitment from government in addressing their needs.

As part of the activities for the commemoration of the day, UNFPA, National Population Commission and other stakeholders will visit some IDP camps in the FCT.

Source: PM News

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Rev Reinhard Bonnke’s Response To A Question On Homos*xuality

 

The popular evangelist shared his thoughts following the recent legalisation of gay marriage in the US. See screen shot below.

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Solar plane flies longest hour in history

 

 T has been further affirmed at the weekend that the sunlight can make drastic changes to human life, as the experimental solar aircraft finishes longest stretch in voyage around the globe.

The solar-powered plane, known as Solar Impulse 2 has cleared the most dangerous leg of its voyage around the world, landing safely on the Hawaiian island of Oahu.

The plane had taken off from Nagoya, Japan, last Sunday and travelled on a long stretched five days journey.

Solar Impulse 2 has a 72 meter wingspan, larger than that of the Boeing 747 and weighs 2,300 kilograms around the same as a car. The wings have 7,000 solar cells built in which power four electric motors. The plane, which doesn’t use any fuel, charges while flying during the day so that it can fly at night.

After several weeks of delays and two aborted attempts, Swiss pilot André Borschberg was finally able to complete what he called “probably the flight of my life.”

The gruelling 116-hour voyage over nearly five days allowed the solo pilot only about three hours of rest per day, broken up into 20-minute sessions while the craft was flown by autopilot.

This latest accomplishment proves that “energy efficiency, solar power, and modern technology can achieve the impossible,” Solar Impulse co-founder and alternating pilot Bertrand Piccard tweeted.

On this leg the Solar Impulse crossed more than 4,000 miles (6,400 kilometres) of ocean, the same desolate region where Amelia Earhart disappeared 77 years ago.

Source: Guardian 

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Armless Woman Flies Plane With Feet

By any definition, Jessica Cox is an accomplished woman. The 32-year-old resident of Tucson, Arizona, was born without arms, but has managed to learn how to surf, play the piano and get a black belt in Tae Kwan Do. She’s also learned to fly an airplane, as this video from Barcroft TV demonstrates.

In 2008, she became the first pilotlicensed to fly with her feet, The Associated Press reported. Cox prides herself on being independent, but admits there is one thing she can’t herself.

“The only thing I really need help with is doing my hair,” she said on the video. “Patrick learned to do a very nice ponytail, bun and braid — it’s very special because he realzed how much it annoyed me to have my hair in my face.’

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Bomb Blast in Redeemed Church

 

The Police in Yobe on Sunday confirmed the killing of six persons in a suicide bomb attack on a Redeemed Church of Christ in Potiskum, Yobe state.

Mr Toyin Gbadegesin, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the state command, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Damaturu that the death included the suicide bomber.

The spokesman said: “A male suicide bomber detonated a bomb at Redeemed Church at Jigawa area of Potiskum, killing five on the spot.

“A female member of the church who sustained injuries also died while receiving treatment in the hospital.’’

He said the injured are receiving treatment at various health facilities in the area.

Potiskum last suffered a twin suicide attack on June 15, in which 10 people were killed and several others injured.

NAN

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Dangote to spend $250m on rice, sugarcane production in Jigawa

Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the Chairman, Dangote Group of Companies, is to spend 250 million dollars on the production of rice and sugarcane around the Hadejia River Basin of Jigawa.

Gov. Muhammad Badaru of Jigawa said this when he received the Country Director of African Development Bank (AfDB) for Nigeria, Alhaji Usman Dore and his team who came to seek for partnership with the state in agricultural development in Dutse on Friday.

Badaru said the initiative by the Dangote Group was in line with his priority on Transformation of Agriculture.

He said “the cardinal principles of my administration is agricultural transformation for human development that will make them to be self sustained.”

He thanked the AfDB team for the visit and pledged to collaborate with the bank in the development of agriculture in the state.

Earlier, the Country Director of the bank for Nigeria said the team was in Jigawa to know the priorities of the governor and to seek for partnership with him in his areas of interests.

Dore said that the bank would spend N2 billion in farming activities in Hadejia River basin, while N43 million would be needed from Jigawa government for the project.

He explained that the money would be used to construct canals, road networks, building of markets, primary schools, training of agricultural extension workers, community health personals, provision of improved seeds, among others.

The country director said AfDB was in partnership with the Hadejia/Komadugu agricultural development initiative which comprises six states of Borno, Yobe, Jigawa, Kano, Bauchi and Plateau.

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Buhari dissolves NNPC Board

President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria has dissolved the board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC.

In a statement signed by the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Danladi Kifasi, Buhari thanked the members of the dissolved board for their services to the nation and wished them the best in their future endeavours.

The NNPC is the state-run oil company which oversees Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. It’s board is statutorily headed by the minister of petroleum resources.

Although the statement did not list the board of director, NNPC website report that they are : Dr. Joseph T. Dawha, Group Managing Director; Mr. Bernard O.N. Otti, Group Executive Director, Finance & Accounts; Dr. Dan Efebo, Group Executive Director,
Corporate Services; Alhaji Abdullahi Bukar, Member; Mr. Danladi Wadzani, Member; Prof. Olusegun Okunnu, Member; Mr. Danladi Kifasi, Member; Mr. Steven Oronsaye, Member and Ikechukwu Oguine, Coordinator, Legal Services/Secretary to the Corporation.

Source: Pmnewsnigeria

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Saraki moves to reduce NASS allowances, inaugurates committee

Senate President, Bukola Saraki has moved to reduce the allowances of National Assembly members by constituting a committee to draw a roadmap for the review of their allowances.

In a statement issued today, he said: “In response to the recent outcry from Nigerians against perceived huge allowances being paid to federal legislators, the Senate yesterday began moves to reduce its earnings by constituting a committee to draw a roadmap for the review,” Saraki said in the statement that, “its is the first of its kind since 1999″.

“It was also in fulfillment of the promise made by Senate President, Bukola Saraki, last week after a meeting with the leadership of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).”

According to him: “The nine-man committee is expected to determine if the deduction earlier done is adequate or not; determine whether the mode of disbursement of office running cost is appropriate; determine whether National Assembly detailed budget should be made public; liaise with secretary of finance and accounts to determine appropriate salary and allowances for members as well as consider the standard running cost and any other related issue.

The committee is chaired by Senate Leader, Ali Ndume. Other members of the committee are: Shehu Sani (Kaduna Central), Shaba Lafiagi (Kwara North), Sunny Ogbuoji (Ebonyi South), James Manager (Delta South), Gbenga Ashafa (Lagos East), Dino Melaye (Kogi West) and Ben Murray-Bruce (Bayelsa East).

While inaugurating the committee on Thursday, Saraki said agitation for the reduction of cost of governance particularly the earnings of lawmakers in Nigeria has remained a sensitive matter which according to him, calls for accountability and transparency in all spheres of legislation.

He tasked the committee to carry out thorough fiscal examination on Senate’s finances with a view to evolving a cost effective regime.

He said: “The subject of reduction in cost of governance has been a sensitive matter on the front burner of national issues in the polity especially with regards to the legislature. While much of this could be due to an underlining ambiguity in the monthly salaries of legislators and their allowances, there still persists the need to project clarity, accountability and transparency in all legislative matters and legislators’ welfare.

“The eighth Senate under our watch recognises the concerns raised by Nigerians about the cost of running office most especially with the economic challenges facing our nation.

“The Senate will be more transparent regarding all public funds spent for the purpose of paying salaries and allowances of legislators and ensure that distinction is sufficiently made between what a legislator actually earns and what is spent to run and implement legislative business and committee activities.

“The watchword in our financial issues will be fiscal conservatism.

“It is therefore on this arm that the committee is mandated to carry out thorough fiscal examination on the Senate finances with the aim of coming up with the best cost-effective regime in the eighth Senate.”

In the same vein, Saraki inaugurated an 18-man committee saddled with the responsibility of drawing up a legislative agenda for the Senate.

The committee is chaired by James Manager. Members of the committee include Babajide Omoworare (Osun East); Duro Faseyi (Ekiti North), Tayo Alasoadura (Ondo Central), Sonni Ogbuoji (Ebonyi South); Uche Ekwunife (Anambra Central); Hope Uzodimma (Imo West) and Ben Murray-Bruce (Bayelsa East), George Sekibo, John Enoh.

Others are Mohammed Hassan, Ali Ndume (Borno South); Binta Garba (Adamawa North), Kabiru Gaya (Kano South); Shehu Sani (Kaduna Central); Bala Na’Allah (Kebbi South), Mohammed Yari; David Umaru (Niger East) and Joshua Dariye (Plateau Central).

The Senate had opted to draw an agenda for itself with a view to setting up a standard with which its performance can be measured by the public.

While inaugurating the committee, Saraki said the agenda to be drawn is expected to strengthen the institutional capacity of the Senate; build a legislative autonomy and strengthening the committee system.

He added that the agenda would also enhance oversight functions; ensure extensive representation; reach out to stakeholders and encourage civil society involvement.

The Senate president also said the agenda would put machinery in place to guarantee implementation, monitoring and evaluation, reduction of running cost as well as effective legislative support system.

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Two women face jail term for indecent dressing

 

Two Moroccan women who walked through a market wearing dresses are facing charges of “gross indecency”, a rights group and media reported Thursday, sparking an outcry in the kingdom. The women were arrested on June 16 as they strolled through the open-air market in Inezgane, a suburb of the southern city of Agadir, on their way to work, said Fouzia Assouli, head of women’s rights organisation

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Buhari’s ADC orders DSS operatives out of Presidential Villa

                            

The inter agency rivalry between the Department of State Services and the Nigerian Army came to head, yesterday, as the Aide de Camp to the President,

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